Tom Sebourn is the Program Director of KGOE 1480 am Newstalk in Eureka California. The opinions and views expressed in this blog do not necessarily represent those of KGOE or it's parent company Bicoastal Media LLC.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Support Your Local Veteran

Tuesday, November 11th., is Veterans Day. There are many ways to honor the people that put their lives in harms way in order to ensure freedom here in the good old U.S.A. If you see veterans giving out the little poppies in front of a retail store, thank them, offer to buy them a drink or something to eat. Donate what you can to the local chapter, they usually have a can to put money in.

There are also local events to attend. Most towns will have special Veterans Day events. The Rotary Club of Southwest Eureka is one local example. They will have speakers from the Veterans Health Clinic, Veterans Service Center, Veterans Stand Down and the Humboldt County Veterans Service Office. The celebration also includes performances by the Eureka High School Jazz Ensemble and the Eureka High School Limited Edition.

Zane Middle School eight-grader Brittiney Morettini will read her essay on "Why We Should Honor Our Veterans," Brittiney won this year's local Veterans of Foreign Wars' Patriots Pen contest.

If you can't take the time to add to or attend a local event, take a veteran out to dinner or just do something to show that you appreciate what they did for our country.

Something that people all over the country can do is to support a program called "Socks For Soldiers".

You can find out what they do and get in touch with them by clicking the "Socks For Soldiers" logo to the left of my blog.

Remember, whether you are against war or for war, veterans are doing what is expected of them. They don't set the policy, that comes from Congress or in the case of Iraq, the White House.